Chic Restaurants in Paris: Haute Cuisine during Fashion Week
April 4, 2008 — chicinparisAs I am a lover of all thing luxurious and exclusive, it is no wonder that Paris is a city I simply cannot get enough of. Having most recently attended Prêt-à-Porter Fashion Week, I once again noticed how full of life the city was with celebrities and socialites all enjoying the exclusivity and excess of Paris. Of course the week is focused on fabulous fashion, but more than lavish couture, the week is also filled with incredible cuisine, exclusive dinners, and chic restaurants that make for a truly extravagant and exciting time.
Having spent many years exploring the city and discovering its chicest addresses, I have always returned to a few of my most favorite restaurants for the intimacy, exclusivity and of course sublime cuisine that is offered. To my delight, the luxury afforded at these hot spots has caught the attention of an elite crowd, and so with every visit I am often in the company of, if not accompanied by, famous faces from around that world.

Jacqueline Guenot, Ender Mermeci and Susan enjoying dinner in Paris
One such address that has been a long time favorite of mine is Le Voltaire. With a Left Bank location situated on the Seine and next to some of Paris’ best galleries, it has become a popular spot for an international crowd of fashion forward socialites, wealthy businessmen, and well-heeled Parisians. During every visit I can be found dining on the classic French cuisine accompanied by an A-list crowd that has included some of fashions most famous faces such as Marc Jacobs, Anna Wintour, Tom Ford and the forever-fabulous Sarah Jessica Parker.
Another favorite restaurant of mine in the City of Light is Le Stresa, which is mentioned in my book Chic In Paris and has since drastically grown in popularity among the rich and famous. Serving Italian food that will make you want to head south once Fashion Week is over, it is a celebrity hot spot offering a feast for the eyes and appetite. Le Stresa is one of Paris’ most popular spots, especially during Fashion Week, however its intimacy is strictly maintained and unless you are one of the privileged few who always receive preferential treatment, I would suggest you make your reservation days in advance. The delicious food is simply to die for and the crowd offers an extensive mix of television, film, and fashion stars, including Ines Sastre and Naomi Campbell, who frequent the spot for its exceptional service.
While opulent restaurants are not hard to find in Paris, it is the truly exclusive ones that seem to be a rare. For this reason one of my new favorite spots is Le Mathi’s, which has caught my discerning eye due to the unmatched exclusivity offered to its in-the-know and prosperous patrons. Likely one of the only true insider places left in Paris, it is inconspicuously marked by a door at the Hotel Mathi’s, which only opens for an impressively small crowd of international socialites, celebrities, and affluent individuals. With a limited number of tables, the intimacy of this venue is second to none and the company seated next to you consists exclusively of those privileged enough to be personally recognized by the establishment as the crème de la crème of high society. Fortunate to be favored by Gerard, who owns Mathi’s, I have been seated alongside many famous people including Dita Von Teese and Roman Polanski.
While it is truly the couture that brings me to Paris during Fashion Week, I simply could not help but mention the delicious cuisine and delightful restaurants that make it possible to both dress and dine stylishly. So for those able to secure a table at these coveted restaurants, or in some cases a personal invitation, being chic in Paris truly is, sometimes not so simply, just a reservation away.














































































































































































































